


One (Exiled) Princess to Another

by starlightwalking



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Bonding, Female Friendship, Gen, Hair Braiding, Politics, but mostly friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:15:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27671894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlightwalking/pseuds/starlightwalking
Summary: Idril sees another princess in need of a friend, and offers herself.
Relationships: Elwing & Idril Celebrindal
Comments: 4
Kudos: 19





	One (Exiled) Princess to Another

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Elesianne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elesianne/gifts).



> Inspired by elesianne’s request for “Idril & Elwing + Hair Braiding/Cutting/Care” from this [Found Family prompt list](https://arofili.tumblr.com/post/629184323680124929/found-family-prompts)!
> 
> Elle gave me a bit of a longer prompt that definitely influenced the friendship rather than mother-figure side of things:  
> "Hair Braiding/Cutting/Care found family prompt for Elwing and Idril in the havens of Sirion? Elwing is still so young (8) when this other princess who lost 'her' realm and much of her family arrives in Sirion, maybe Idril teaches her some things? Not necessarily with Idril being maternal if you don't feel like that, but some little moment of kinship of spirit and experience."

Idril could see at once that the poor little princess had hardly any ellith looking after her. Ellyn were not so different from their female counterparts, not really—but little girls needed other ladies in their life, and poor Elwing had none, or very few.

Which was why, before any politics or even settling in, she handed Eärendil off to Tuor and requested an audience with the princess of Doriath.

“Your Highness,” said the girl, curtsying properly. She was so _young_ —even if she was part mortal, like Idril’s son, and grew faster for that, she was too young to carry such weight. Idril wanted to lift some of that off her, let her be a little girl for once.

“None of that,” Idril said firmly, plopping herself down on a cushion she knocked off a chair. “From one exiled princess to another—if we can’t be honest with ourselves, who can we be honest with?”

Elwing stared at her, then giggled. She, too, plopped down on the floor.

“I’m Elwing,” she said shyly.

“I’m Idril,” she replied. She tilted her head. “Goodness! When was the last time an elleth braided your hair?”

Elwing shrugged. “Evranin, my nurse, she…well, the orcs got her last year. Thranduil’s in charge of me now, but he’s only a few decades older than me and he’s not happy about looking after a _child_.” She said the word with some distaste, and Idril’s heart squeezed.

“May I?” Idril asked, and was relieved when Elwing nodded, scooting closer to her.

“I know a thing or two about nurses and young lords who don’t want to look after you,” she sighed, her hands busy unraveling Elwing’s braid. “I was young when my mother died—older than you, you brave girl, but still young—and when anyone managed to distract my father long enough for him to let go of me and get some sleep…” She shook her head. “Well, Uncle Finno had a good heart, but he had a lot on his mind.”

“Thranduil doesn’t have an excuse,” Elwing grumbled. “He just thinks he’s too cool to take care of me. _Not_ that I need taking care of.”

“Of course not,” Idril hummed, though Elwing looked to be the same age as Eärendil and _certainly_ needed a minder. But you can’t tell an eight year old that and expect them to take it well, especially not one as proud and stubborn and damaged as Elwing. Maybe it wasn’t that Elwing needed space to be a child; maybe she needed someone to take her seriously, too.

“Tell me what life is like here, Elwing,” she suggested, beginning to twist her hair into Vanyar-style braids. “My people look to me…but I need help from a wise princess like you to tell them what to expect.”

Elwing sat up a little straighter, and Idril’s heart broke a little more. “Well,” she began, “aside from orcs there’s Kinslayers to avoid, and we mustn’t forget how fickle Ossë can be…”

She’d be alright, this one, Idril knew. But while she could, Idril wanted her not to be alone—and she was happy to help in that regard.

Idril needed a friend, too.

**Author's Note:**

> Rebloggable on tumblr [here](https://arofili.tumblr.com/post/633630713964642304/hair-braidingcuttingcare-found-family-prompt-for).
> 
> Thanks for reading, and please comment if you enjoyed!  
> You can find me on tumblr [@arofili](http://arofili.tumblr.com/).


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